Ukraine suspects Russia is not really interested in pausing the conflict and ending the war, and the head of the country’s delegation, Defence Minister Rustem Umerov, said the key points could only be resolved at face-to-face talks between President Zelensky and President Putin.

Russia and Ukraine met for a brief second round of direct talks in Istanbul on Monday, agreeing to swap dead and captured soldiers, but otherwise there was no significant progress toward ending the grueling war or even agreeing to a ceasefire.

Ukraine and Russia have agreed to conduct the largest prisoner and war dead exchange since the conflict began in February 2022.